Were the Hebrew Israelites of African descent?

Their presence was contested from the beginning. The founders of the community are non-Jewish African Americans who identify as descendants of the ancient Israelites, but not as Jews. read more

If, on the other hand you mean the various groups commonly known as “Black Hebrew Israelites” that sprang up in the late 1800’s then obviously the answer is yes, they are of African decent, there’s just no connection to the biblical Jews. read more

For example, members of the Original African Hebrew Israelite Nation of Jerusalem (or the African Israelites, for short) believe that, after the Roman expulsion of the Jews from the land of Israel, many Jews migrated to West Africa. From there, their descendants were transported by slave ship to the United States, where the group began in the 1960s. read more

The African Hebrew Israelite Nation of Jerusalem (also known as The Black Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem, the Black Hebrew Israelites, or simply the Black Hebrews or Black Israelites) is a small spiritual group whose members believe they are descended from the Twelve Tribes of Israel. read more